Click the logo to return to the Learning Page.
 

Parashat Ki Tetzeh
Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19

Topics (click on any link)
Synopsis of the Torah portion
Spiritual insights into Parashat Ki Tetzeh
Key verses
Creative Midrash for Parashat Ki Tetzeh


Synopsis                                       return to top of page

Chapter 21
This portion opens with specific cases of captives taken in war. This particular issue deals with the treatment of a beautiful female captive that a warrior desires and wishes to marry. If a warrior is previously married but he loves the captive more, rules are set down on how to distribute the inheritance to the heirs as equitably as possible. The next case regards stubborn and rebellious sons. The law states that the parents should take the son to the elders of the city. If the rebellious son is not repentant, the elders are to have him stoned to death. This death sentence is carried out so that evil will be swept from their midst; all Israel shall hear and be fearful.

Chapter 22
Laws of conduct upon entering the land that the Lord our God has given the Israelites are conveyed to the Israelites here. One might say that these laws pertain to moral issues between people; included in this chapter are conditions upon which a man may deal unethically with a woman; returning lost property to a fellowman; and constructing a railing around a house so no one could fall off the roof.

Chapter 23
Laws concerning who is to be excluded from among the Israelites are the first issues to be treated in this chapter. The discussion then moves to purity conditions that are to be maintained when Israelite troops go out against an enemy. A variety of other subjects are mentioned which seem to be out of place in the current discussion such as not returning a slave who wishes refuge from his master; the prohibition of Israelite women from becoming a cult prostitute; the restriction of deducting interest from loans to fellow Israelites; the requirement to fulfill vows made to the Lord and the conditions a person must follow upon entering a neighbors field of grain or vineyard.

Chapter 24
More laws of humane concern are discussed. What choices does a man have, who is dissatisfied with his wife? A tool that a craftsman needs for his livelihood may not be taken in hock. Needy and destitute workers must not be abused; their wages must be paid by sundown. When a person harvests his field or gathers the grapes from his vineyard, whatever is overlooked or has fallen must be left for the stranger, the widow and the orphan.

Chapter 25
Parshat Ki Tetzeh concludes with further discussions of laws to benefit the holy society. If a man dies, the widow shall not be married to a stranger. Her late husband’s brother shall marry her and perform the levir’s duty; the discussion includes remedies in case the brother refuses to marry her.
An Israelite shall not have alternate measures of weight; they must have completely honest weights and measures. Finally the Israelites are asked to remember what Amalek did to the people after they left Egypt, how he attacked you by surprise and killed many stragglers in the rear. When you enter the land that the Lord is giving you, wipe out the memory of Amalek

<>Spiritual insights into Parashat Ki Tetzeh                                      return to top of page<>
“When you take the field against your enemies” is the opening line of Parashat Ki Tetzei, the beginning of the final list of laws in the Book of Deuteronomy.  Who are these enemies? A question that thoughtful people must stop and ask themselves.  Are these murderous hordes of invaders bent on destroying us or are these the enemies of our mind that cause emotional havoc and immoral behaviors? With Judaism’s great concern for a life of goodness and blessing, I would conclude that these enemies lie within us. And how would we take up arms against them?  The obvious way is to follow the laws and statutes that are presented in the Torah that teach us that all would go well if we observe these commandments. Tacked on to many of the laws in this parasha is the phrase, “Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst”.

As our previous parashah dealt mainly with lofty ideals, Ki Tetzei deals with more mundane material. A few examples are “When you make a loan of any sort to your countryman, you must not enter his house to seize his pledge” (Deut.24:10) or “You must have completely honest weights and completely honest measures, if you are to endure long on the soil that the Lord your God is giving you” Deut. 25:15). The parashah concludes with “For everyone who does those things, everyone who deals dishonestly, is abhorrent to the Lord your God”. These kinds of laws are the basis for creating a just society; Judaism is founded on social justice, equality for all. A just society is the basis for individual compassion, kindness and forgiveness.
<>
Key verses                                       return to top of page
<>This page is not a commentary on the text, but a chance for you to express your own comments and feelings in order to gain deeper insight into your own life.

Deuteronomy 21:10-11
When you take the field against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your power and you take some of them captive, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her and would take her to wife.
Food for thought:
1. Why do you think a man would desire a woman he doesn’t even know just because she’s beautiful? Is that trait peculiar to men,rather than women?
2. The Torah portion suggests that the warrior may already be married. What indication do we have that it’s OK to have more that one wife?
3. How does this verse apply to intermarriage? Obviously this captive woman is not an Israelite.

Deuteronomy 22:9-10
You shall not sow your vineyard with a second kind of seed, else the crop—from the seed you have sown—and the yield of the vineyard may not be used. You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together. You shall not wear cloth combining wool and linen.
Food for thought:
1. What else besides these three conditions may we not mix?
2. What do you think is the purpose for keeping items separate? What items must we keep separate today?
3. What do we learn by keeping certain things separate?

Deuteronomy 23:10
When you go out as a troop against your enemies, be on your guard against anything untoward (perverse).
Food for thought:
1. What sort of wicked things is the Torah talking about? Who in these cases would suffer the consequences?
2. What effect could these perverse acts have on the Israelites?
3. These acts take place on the field of battle and not in the Israelite camp. What could happen if these perverse acts were allowed to continue?

Deuteronomy 24:9
In cases of a skin affection, be most careful to do exactly as the levitical priests instruct you. Take care to do as I commanded them. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the journey after you left Egypt.
Food for thought:
1. In last week’s portion, we saw how legal matters were to be administered by the priests. Now the priests are responsbile for healing. What other responsibilities do you think the priests were accountable for?
2. Can you see this verse as a basis for Jewish healing today? What do we do since there priestly cult was dissolved?
3. What thoughts come to mind regarding the cause of disease among the ancient Israelites?

Deuteronomy 25:15-16
You must have completely honest weights and completely honest measures, if you are to endure long on the soil that the Lord your God is giving you. For everyone who does those things, everyone who deals dishonestly, are abhorrent to the Lord your God.
Food for thought:
1. There are many things, we have come across so far, that are abhorrent to the Lord. How would you categorize these detestable behaviors? How many categories are there? Good and evil behaviors, or are there more?
2. What is God trying to teach us by condemning abhorrent behaviors? Is it for His sake? Is it for our sake?
3. How do you think this world would change if every Jewish person now eradicates abhorrent behaviors in his/her life? Is it only Jews who have to change their ways, or also every other nation?

Additional questions to ponder:
1. What is it about the story, a verse, a word that seems to resonate with some aspect of your life?
2. Is there something about the story that rings a bell?
3. Can you recall experiences in your life when you have experienced something similar to this story?
4. How would you describe the characters in the story? Who do you know who's like them?
5. Can you personally identify with any one of the characters in the story? Which one?
6. Can you find a similarity between yourself and all the characters in the story?

Reflections:
The Rabbis of old would meditate on such questions, sometimes for weeks at a time, to help find deeper meaning in the
verses. You may wish to contemplate just one or a few of these questions at a time, rather than tackling them
all. In what ways we any of your responses to the questions personally meaningful?

Suggestion:
Some of the questions here are of a personal nature which in some cases could be emotionally upsetting. If so, try
relaxing your body as much as possible and takes long slow breaths of air. That usually helps to relieve anxiety.

We would like to know if you find this method of Torah study particularly helpful to you. Click here to let us know


Creative Midrash on Parashat Ki Tetzeh                                         return to top of page

Deuteronomy 25:19
Therefore, when the Lord your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

The Rabbis of old would create parables, stories and narrative connections around such selected verses. What do you see between the lines, the sentences and the letters. The following questions can provide a launch pad upon which to create your own meanings of the Torah.

Who was Amalek? What did he do to deserve such an enraged doom? What do you think Amalek represents in the Torah narrative? Why such a stringent commandment to blot out his memory? Is there something inside yourself that is stirred by the thought of Amalek? Why, out of the blue, was the subject of Amalek brought up in this portion? Most of this chapter deals with moral or ethical laws that the Israelites are to observe when they enter the Promised Land. What does that have to do with our current verse? What do you think is the connection between “when God grants you safety from all your enemies around you” and “you shall blot out the memory of Amalek”? What does the Torah mean by “under heaven”?
 

Spend some time thinking about these questions. After you mentally process them for a day or two, it could be helpful to record your conclusions in a journal. It's not important to have correct answers; it's more important to wrestle with the narrative. In time this process can teach you to change many of your unproductive thoughts and beliefs for new ones that work more effectively.